September 10, 2007

Hardy's 'Eileen Hardy' Shiraz 1998

I was expecting big things from this wine but unfortunately the promise did not deliver.

While decanting I noticed it was very viscous and had huge blackberry aromas, but also a strange fungus/oyster whiff coming across (possibly a fault? Or too much toasted American oak perhaps?)

It smacked the palate with flavours of blackberries, tarry liquorice and clove/nutmeg spice which was stopped short with a huge hard wall of bitumen and slightly bitter oak. This bottle was sourced from Sterling auctions and may not be representative of the wine, especially considering the rave reviews it recieved.

I wish I had better things to say about this wine but unfortunately this is all I could come up with.. would appreciate the comments of others who have tasted it, and whether or not they think this bottle was not quite right.

Authors

"I drink when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it when I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty" - Madame Bollinger.